Water management projects to transform town areas
An area of the Central Car Park will be redesigned and planted up to help absorb surface water quickly
Three sites in Oswestry are set to be transformed as part of a Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) demonstrator project exploring how nature can help manage water, reduce flood risk and create better places for people and wildlife.
Work is to begin at Oswestry Central Car Park, the Senior Citizens’ Club and Oswestry Methodist Church Pre-School, where individual projects have been designed to help water soak away more naturally while creating more attractive and accessible spaces.
Oswestry Central Car Park will be renovated by removing fencing and some asphalt which will be replaced with grass, reedbeds and a wildflower garden to help reduce the amount of water collecting after heavy showers.
The Senior Citizens’ Club, which is affected by flooding that can freeze over and make access difficult in colder months, will have rain gardens and a shelter with a green roof over the entrance ramp.
And the Oswestry Methodist Church Pre-School play area, which is currently a plain concrete space, will be transformed with rain gardens, tree pits, climbing plants and a mud kitchen for the children.
Sarah Marston, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for the environment, said:-
“Projects like this show how practical, local action can help communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
“By working with nature rather than against it, we can reduce surface water issues, create better places and improve public spaces for residents at the same time.”
Jenna Shaw, who is leading the project for Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said:-
“We’ve worked closely with local residents, community groups and organisations to understand the challenges these sites face and what people would like to see happen.
“The result is a set of improvements that will help manage rainwater better while creating greener spaces that people can enjoy. It’s been a genuinely collaborative project and we’re grateful to everyone who has helped shape it.”
Local councillors Wendy Owen and Duncan Kerr also welcomed the schemes saying:-
“Not only do projects like these help us make environmental gains, but they give something extra to our communities.
“The children and senior citizens will all be able to enjoy their spaces more safely even when the weather is against us.”
Led by Shropshire Wildlife Trust, the Oswestry Depave project is one of eight demonstrator projects, funded by Defra, managed by Shropshire Council and delivered through SVWMS.
It is testing practical ways to slow, store and absorb rainwater in the town by replacing hard surfaces with greener features such as planting, rain gardens and green roofs.
Alongside the physical improvements, the project has also supported the creation of the Grow With The Flow community group, helping local people build on the work and continue shaping a greener future for the town.
About the SVWMS: The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme is a partnership led by the Environment Agency, working with Natural Resources Wales, Powys County Council and Shropshire Council, with support from Defra. Through a series of demonstrator projects, it is testing new approaches to water management that could help inform future investment across the Severn catchment.
